Refrigerating apparatus



y 1940- J. w. JACOBS REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed July 7. 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. Jinn 14 tficoas.

///5 ATTORNEY-5 y 1940- J. w JACOBS REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed July 7, 1938 I 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 r l mg Z INVENTOR. J4me; M 1971 BY I M M 0 4 l/ls ATTORNEYS Filed July 7, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENfOR.

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May 28, 1940. J. w. JACOBS v r 2,202,105

REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed July '7, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 I/IS ATTORNEYS.

Patented May 28, 1940 REFRIGERATING APPARATUS James W. Jacobs, Dayton, Ohio, assignor to General Motors Corporation, Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Application July 7, 1938, Serial No. 217,934 (01. 62108. 5)

14 Claims.

This invention relates to freezing devices for liquids and particularly to ice trays and grids therefor employed in household refrigerating apparatuses.

A general object of my invention is to provide an improved grid construction adapted to be removably disposed in an ice tray for dividing the interior of the tray into a plurality of ice block compartments and a novel method of removing ice blocks from the tray and grid without application of heat thereto.

Another object of my invention is to provide a unitary metallic grid structure for an ice tray G which is removable from the tray as a unit together with ice blocks adhering thereto and which unitary structure has certain walls movable relative to one another and relative to other walls thereof for breaking the bond between the ice blocks and the grid walls to thereby facilitate the harvesting of ice blocks.

A further object of my invention is to provide a unitary rigid metallic walled grid structure including a longitudinal wall and a plurality of transverse walls and in which the transverse walls are elevated relative to the longitudinal wall and moved relative to one another in another direction of motion relative to the longitudinal wall other than the elevating movement thereof to insure complete loosening of ice blocks from the grid walls and to facilitate the release of ice blocks from the grid structure.

In carrying out the foregoing objects, it is a still further object of my invention to provide, in a grid structure of the type described, for the progressive movement of the transverse walls thereof relative to one another and to the longitudinal wall during elevation of the transverse Walls relative to the longitudinal wall to thereby sequentially break ice blocks from the grid walls from one portion to another portion along the length of the structure after it has been removed from the tray.

Still further and more specific objects and advantages of my invention reside in the simplicity of construction and ease of operation of my improved grid structure and in novel combinations and arrangements of parts thereof to provide a durable device of low manufacturing cost as will more fully appear in the course of the following description.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a freezing device comprising a tray and a grid constructed in accordance with my invention removably disposed in the tray;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the freezing device disclosed in Fig. 1 and showing the tray in section;

Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view of the freezing device taken on the line 3-3 of Fi 2;

Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse sectional view of the freezing device taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken on the line 55 of Fig. 1 showing the tray release and grid elevating mechanism of the freezing device;

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal fragmentary sectional view of the freezing device taken on the lin 6-6 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing ice blocks in the freezing device and disclosing the grid structure and ice blocks therein elevated relative to the tray;

Fig. 8 is a view disclosing the grid removed from the tray and showing walls of the grid moved relative to one another for releasing ice blocks therefrom;

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 2 and shows a modified arrangement of walls of the grid structure to provide for progressive or sequential release of ice blocks from the grid; and

Fig. 10 shows the modified form of grid removed from the tray and illustrates the progressive movement of the transverse grid walls to sequentially remove ice blocks therefrom.

Since my invention relates to a freezing device of the type generally employed in household refrigerating apparatuses for producing small blocks of ice, reference to the accompanying drawings will be made for illustrating the invention. The freezing device (see Fig. 1) includes a metal ice tray l5 having a unitary metal walled grid l6 removably disposed therein for dividing the interior of the tray into longitudinal rows of ice block compartments H. The tray |5 has side walls I 8 (see Figs. 3 and 4), a bottom wall I9 and opposed end walls 2| and 22. The tray side walls I8 and the end walls 2| and 22 thereof diverge outwardly toward the top of the tray to facilitate removal of the grid and ice blocks adhering thereto from the tray. The walls l8, 2| and 22 of tray l5 have their upper edge rolled r or bent over to form a rim 23 which extends continuously around the top of the tray to increase its structural strength. A portion of the metal tray I5 is extended downwardly from ri'm 23, as at 24, at the front end 22 thereof and provides a mounting for a heavy metal piece 26 which has a handle-21 pivotally secured thereto as at 28. 56

The legs of handle 21 are provided with a cam surface 29 adapted to engage the tray support to break an ice bond between the tray and its support. The legs of handle: 21 are also provided with a second cam surface 3| located on the side thereof opposite the cam surface 29 so as to position the cams 29 and 3| on opposite sides of the pivotal mounting 28 of the handle. A bracket 32 secured to metal piece 25 by the screws 33, which clamp piece 26 to the downwardly directed portion 24 of the metal tray i5, is provided with a bent portion for receiving and securing an inverted T-shaped member 35 in place upon the tray (see Fig. 5). This inverted T-shaped member 35 has the ends 35 of the horizontal portion thereof resting upon the cam surfaces 3! formed on handle 27 and has the end 37 of the vertical portion thereof extending through a suitable opening provided in the rim 23 of tray l5. End 31 of the inverted T-shaped member 35 is enlarged to thereby secure, with the aid of bracket 32, member 35 in movable relation upon the tray for a purpose to be hereinafter more fully described.

The unitary metallic grid structure, generally represented by the reference character 56, is removably disposed within tray l5 and includes Walls which divide the interior of the tray into the plurality of rows of molds, cells or compartments 5?. The grid structure I 6 comprises a vertically disposed rigid metal wall or partition 42 extending longitudinally of the tray l5. Grid structure 96 also comprises a plurality of spaced apart rigid metal walls or partitions 43 extending continuously through the plane of longitudinal wall 42 and being movably connected or in terlocked therewith. It is to be noted that grid walls 33 are normally inclined or disposed at an acute angle with respect to the bottom I9 of tray E5 to provide the ice block compartments H with a parallelogram shape in one direction of cross section therethrough. Also, included as a part of the unitary removable grid structure I5 is a horizontally disposed relatively flat member ll which is disposed above and extends lengthwise with the longitudinal grid wall 52. This member 34 has a pair of legs H5 depending from each end thereof and is also provided with a plurality of elongated openings 36 in its face. The openings (36 in member 44 receive an upwardly extended portion 41 (see Fig. 3), which is bent over as at 58, of each transverse grid wall 43. Openings 36, it is to be noted, are slightly wider than the thickness of the metal extension 41 of walls d3 so as to permit tilting of these walls as will hereinafter be described. A pin 49 is secured to the pair of legs 45 at each end of member 64 and this pin 49 extends through a vertically elongated opening 5| provided in the longitudinal grid wall or partition 42 (see Fig. 2). The connection of member 44 with the grid wall 42 and the connection of transverse grid walls 43 with member 45 interlocks the various parts of the grid together to form the unitary removable structure l6 and also permits elevation of member 44 and walls 43 relative to grid wall 42 in a manner to hereinafterbe more fully described.

Referring again to Fig. 2 of the drawings, it will be noted that the longitudinal grid wall 42 is provided, particularly at one endthereof, with an upstanding portion 54 which has a finger part 55 extending therefrom and overlapping the rim 23 at the front end of tray l5. When grid structure I6 is positioned within tray IS the finger part 55 of upstanding portion 54 on wall 42 is located in vertical alignment with and rests upon the enlarged top end 31 of inverted T-shaped member 35. The member 54 is cut out as at 56 (see Fig. l) to accommodate the upstanding portion 56 of grid wall 32. The grid structure l6 carries a lever 51 provided with a handle end 58 and a short heavy end 59. The heavy end 55 of lever 67 fits in an opening 60 formed in member id and is mounted to a pair of bosses 5| formed integral with member 34, and located at the sides of the opening 60 (see Figs. 1 and' 4) by a shaft 52 which extends through the lever and through suitable holes provided in the bosses 6i (see Fig. 4). End 59 of lever 51 has its bottom portion formed into a cam surface 63 which rests against a raised top edge part 64 of longitudinal grid wall 42 for a purpose that will be hereinafter described.

In orderto provide for the extension of grid Walls 63 transversely through the plane of longitudinal grid wall 32 I have cut a slot 55 in each wall 33 (see Figs. 3 and 4) It will be noted that the slot 55 extends upwardly from the bottom edge of walls 43 to provide a web portion 66 in these walls immediately below the upwardly extending portion 81 thereof. To accommodate the web portion 66 of transverse walls-53 within the plane of longitudinal grid wall 42, I cut a plurality of slots 51 in wall 42 in spaced apart relation along the length thereof (see Fig. 6). Slots 61 extend at an angle downwardly from the top edge of wall 52 and are wider at their upper open end than at their lower closed end to permit the cross walls 83 to swing from their normal inclined position into substantially a vertical position, when elevated along with member 55 relative to grid wall 42, as will become apparent in the description of operation of the device. The slots 51 provide longitudinal grid wall 82 with a plurality of web portions 68 located below the slots 51 (see Figs. 3, 4 and 6) and which are received in the slots of transverse grid walls 03.

Referring now to Figs. 9 and 10 of the drawings wherein a modification of the grid structure 16 is shown at l6a disposed in a tray l5a it will be noted that, while the normally inclined transverse grid walls 53a are equally spaced apart, the slots 510. provided in the longitudinal grid wall 32a are of progressively increased width from one end to the other end of the grid structure I Ma. The purpose of the progressively increased width of slots 61a along the length of the grid structure is to cause movement of the transverse grid walls 43a lengthwise of longitudinal wall l2a to be progressive from one end to the other end of the grid structure 46a to thereby sequentially release ice blocks from the compartments so as to provide for the release of all or less than all of the ice blocks from the grid structure Mia as desired.

Assume that water has been frozen in the'freezing device in the form of ice blocks 10 as illustrated in Fig. '7 of the drawings in the ice block compartments H, by the cooling effect produced by a cooling element or evaporator of a refrigerating system, and removal or harvesting of these freezing device support to break the ice bond between the device and its support. The freezing device can thereafter be readily removed from its support .in or on the cooling element or evaporator. After removal of the freezing device from the cooling element or evaporator of the refrigerating system, handle 21 is moved downwardly about its pivotal mounting 28 to thereby cause the cam surface or surfaces 3| to impart a lifting force to ends 36 of the inverted T-shaped member 35 for elevating the member 35 relative to tray 15. Elevation of member 35 causes its upper end 31 to impart a lifting force to the finger part 55 of the upstanding portion 54 of longitudinal grid wall 42 to thereby elevate the unitary grid structure [6 together with the ice blocks 10 adhering thereto relative to tray l of the freezing device. This position of the device and movement of parts thereofas described is illustrated in Fig. 7 of the drawings whereinthe grid structure l6 and ice blocks bonded thereto are shown raised away from the bottom wall IQ of tray I5. The bondbetween the ice and tray l5 having now been broken permits the unitary grid structure Hi to be removed from the tray for the purpose of releasing ice blocks 10 from walls of the grid. After grid structure l6 has been removed from tray l5; manipulation of lever 57 carried on the grid will cause movement of the substantially non-flexible or rigid metal walls of the grid relative to one another. Therefore, handle end 58 of lever 61 is grasped by the hand and elevated to cause the lever to rotate about its pivotal mounting shaft 62. This rotation of lever 51 brings the cam surface 63, formed on the short end59 thereof, into play, due to its engagement with the raised top edge portion 64 of longitudinal grid wall 42, and causes this cam surface 63 to apply a downward force to the longitudinal grid wall 42 to thereby create an elevating movement of member 44 and transverse grid walls 43 connected therewith, by the bent-over portion 48, relative to the longitudinal grid wall 42. This raising of member 44 and walls 43 relative to wall 42 of the unitary grid structure I6 is illustrated in Fig. 8 of the drawings. It is to be noted by referring to this illustration that since walls 43 of the grid are normally inclined the straight line vertical movement of member 44 relative to longitudinal grid wall 42, afforded by the pins 49 moving upwardly in the vertically elongated openings 5| in wall 42, causes transverse grid walls 43 to engage and bear against the left-hand uppermost wall portion of the inclined slots 61 during upward movement thereof. Engagement of transverse grid walls 43 with the left-hand wall of slots 67 during their upward movement with member 44 relative to grid wall 42 causes these cross walls 43 to move relative to one another and to longitudinal grid wall 42 in another di rection in addition to their elevating movement. It will be noted by referring to Fig. 8 that the normally inclined transverse grid walls 43 have been moved out of their normal inclination into a substantially vertical position by the force imparted by lever 51 and cam 63 between grid wall 42 and member 44. The abutment of grid walls 43 with the upper portion of the left-hand wall of slots 6! during elevation of walls 43 relative to longitudinal grid wall 42 simultaneously moves the lower portion of cross walls 43 lengthwise or longitudinally of grid wall 42 or to the right as shown in Fig. 8. Movement of cross walls 43 relative to one another and to longitudinal grid wall 42 in. another direction other than the elevationthereof, as described, breaks the bond between the ice blocks 10 and the grid walls 42 and 43 and also enlarges the ice block compartments I! to cause the loosened ice blocks 10 to be liberated from the unitary grid structure I6. In Fig. 8 of the drawings I have shown the ice blocks 10 in dot-dash lines within the compartments I! after the walls of grid I6 have been moved merely to illustrate the change in form or enlargement of the normally parallelogram-shaped ice compartments; and it is to be understood that, when the walls of the grid have been moved as described, the ice blocks 10 will be instantly liberated from the grid and will freely fall into the tray I5 or other suitable receptacle as shown in full lines in this figure.

The modified structure shown in Figs. 9 and 10 of the drawings and which is preferred by some users and manufacturers of devices of the type disclosed is constructed and arranged to liberate ice blocks 10a therefrom sequentially or progressively along thelength of the grid structure We so that less than the entire number of ice blocks can be harvested from the device. The operation of elevating the member 44a and grid walls 43a relative to grid wall 42a in the modified or preferred structure shown in Figs. 9 and 10 is the same as in the structure disclosed in other figures of the drawings. However, the progressively wider slots 61a provided in the longitudinal grid wall 42a from end to end of the unitary structure l6a causes the transverse grid walls 43a to engage the uppermost portion of the left-hand wall of slots 61a one after the other during elevation of walls 43a relative to wall 42a. Obviously, therefore, two or more ice blocks 10a can be liberated from the grid structure I60. without releasing other ice blocks from the structure and which other blocks may, if desired, be replaced in the tray until such time as they are required.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that I have provided an improved freezing device or grid structure for disposition in a freezing tray which is of low cost, strong and durable, capableof being operated to cause elevation of certain grid walls relative to other walls of the grid and movement of these walls in another direction relative to the other grid walls with a minimum of force to release ice blocks from the grid structure. The movement of the grid walls relative to one another in different directions, as disclosed, facilitates the breaking of ice bonds between the ice blocks and grid walls and enlarges parted to the grid wall operating lever'is greatly multiplied to thus facilitate manual operation of this lever.

While the form of embodiment of the invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it isto be understood that otherforms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. In combination, a tray having a grid disposed therein, said grid comprising a substantially non-flexible longitudinal wall and a plurality of substantially non-flexible walls disposed in spaced apart relation along the length of said longitudinal wall and extending transversely through the plane thereof to divide the interior of said tray into rows of ice block compartments, said transversely extending grid walls being normally inclined with respect to the bottom of said tray to provide said ice block compartments with a parallelogram form in one direction of crosssection therethrough, said grid also including a member disposed above said longitudinal wall and extending lengthwise therewith, said member,

, said longitudinal wall and said transversely extending walls being connected together in movable relation to one another to form a unitary removable grid structure, means for elevating said unitary grid structure together with ice blocks adhering thereto relative to said tray, means for elevating said member relative to said longitudinal grid wall after said unitary grid structure has been elevated relative to the tray, the connections between said plurality of transversely extending grid walls and said member being such that said transversely extending grid walls are elevated along with said member by said second named means upwardly of said longitudinal grid wall, and said transversely extending grid walls engaging said longitudinal grid wall in such mannor as to be moved relative thereto and to one another by said second named means out of their normal disposition of inclination to enlarge said compartments and break ice block therefrom for liberating the ice blocks from said unitary grid structure.

2. The combination in accordance with claim 1 wherein the movement of the transversely extending grid walls relative to said longitudinal grid Wall out of their normal disposition of inclination is progressive from one portion to another portion along the length of said grid structure. r

3- A grid for disposition in an ice tray comprising, a substantially non-flexible longitudinal metal Wall and a plurality of substantially nonfiexible metal walls disposed in spaced apart relation along the length of said longitudinal wall and extending transversely through the plane thereof to 'provide rows of ice block compartments, said transversely extending grid walls being normally inclined with respect to the bottom of said grid to provide said ice block. compartments with a parallelogram form in one direction of cross-section therethrough, said grid also including a member disposed above said longitudinal wall and extending lengthwise therewith, said member, said longitudinal wall and said transversely extending walls being connected to ether in movable relation to one anotherto form a unitary grid structure, means for elevating said member relative to said longitudinal grid wall, the connections between said plurality of transversely extending grid walls and said member being such that said transversely extending grid walls are elevated along with said member by said means upwardly of said longitudinal grid wall, and all of 'said transversely extending grid walls being interlocked with said longitudinal grid wall in such manner as to be moved relative thereto and to one another by said means out of their normal inclined position to enlarge said compartments and break ice blocks therefrom for liberating the ice blocks from said unitary grid structure.

4. The combination in accordance with claim 3 wherein the movement of the transversely extending grid walls relative to said longitudinal grid wall out of their normal inclined position is progressive from one portion to another portion along the length of said grid structure.

5. A grid for disposition in an ice tray comprising, a substantially non-flexible longitudinal metal wall and a plurality of substantially nonflexible metal walls disposed in spaced apart relation along the length of said longitudinal wall and extending transversely through the plane thereof to provide rows of ice block compartments, said transversely extending grid walls being normally inclined with respect to the bottom of said grid to provide said ice block compartments with a parallelogram form in one direction of cross-section therethrough, said longitudinal grid wall being provided with a plurality of slots extending downward from its top edge for receiving saidspaced apart transversely extending grid walls, each of said transversely extending grid walls having a slot extending upward from its bottom edge for receiving said longitudinal grid wall, said slots in said longitudinal grid wall being of sufiicient widthto permit tilting of said transversely extending grid walls, said grid also including a member disposed above said longitudinal wall and extending lengthwise therewith, said member, said longitudinal wall and-said transversely extending walls being connected together in movable relation to one another to form a unitary grid structure, means for elevating said member relative to said longitudinal grid wall, the connections between said plurality of transversely extending grid walls and said member being such that said transversely extending grid walls are elevated along with said member by said means upwardly of said longitudinal grid. wall, and one wall of each of said plurality of slots in said longitudinal grid wall being arranged in the path of upward movement of the associated wall to cause the engagement of such walls therewith for tilting same out of their normal inclined position to enlarge said comwall and a plurality of non-flexible metal walls U disposed in spaced apart relation along the length of said longitudinal wall and extending transversely through the plane thereof to provide rows of ice block compartments, said grid also including a member disposed aboveand extending I lengthwise of said single longitudinal wall and arranged for movement vertically relative thereto said member, said single longitudinal wall and said transversely extending walls being connected together in movable relation toone another to form a unitary grid structure, means for preventing lengthwise movement of said member and permitting vertical movement thereof, means for moving said member vertically with respect to said single longitudinal grid wall, the connections between said plurality of transversely extending grid walls and said member being such that the vertical movement of said member causes movement of said transversely extending grid walls, and all of said transversely extending grid walls being interlocked with said single longitudinal grid wall in such manner as to cause their movement by said member to be in a direction longitudinally of said longitudinal wall to break ice blocks therefrom and liberate the ice blocks from the compartments of said unitary grid structure.

8. A grid structure according to claim 7 wherein the movement of the transversely extending grid walls longitudinally of said single longitudinal grid wall is progressive from one portion to another portion of said unitary grid.

9. A grid for disposition in an ice tray comprising, a singlenon-flexible longitudinal metal wall and a plurality of non-flexible metal walls disposed in spaced apart relation along the length of said longitudinal wall and extending transversely through the plane thereof to provide rows of ice block compartments, said transversely extending grid walls being normally'inclined with respect to the bottom of said grid to provide said ice block compartments with a. parallelogram form in one direction of cross section therethrough, said grid also including a member disposed above and extending lengthwise of said single longitudinal wall and arranged for movement vertically relative thereto, said member, said single longitudinal wall and said transversely extending walls being connected together in movgrid structure, means for moving said member vertically with respect to said single longitudinal grid wall, the connections between said plurality of transversely extending grid walls and said member being such that the vertical movement of said member causes movement of, said transversely extending grid walls, and all of said transversely extending grid walls being interlocked with said single longitudinal grid wall in such manner as to cause their movement by said member to be in a direction longitudinally of said longitudinal wall out of their normal inclined position to enlarge said compartments and break ice blocks therefrom for liberating the ice blocks from said unitary grid structure.

10. A grid structure according to claim 9 wherein the movement of the transversely extending grid walls longitudinally of said single longitudinal grid wall out of their normal inclined position is progressive from one portion to another portion of said unitary grid.

11. A grid ior 'dispositionin an ice tray comprising, a single non-flexible longitudinal metal wall and a plurality of non-flexible metal walls disposed in spaced apart relation along the length of said longitudinal wall and extending transto, said member, said single longitudinal wall andsaid transversely extending walls being connected together in movable relation to one another to form a unitary grid structure, means for preventing lengthwise movement of said member and permitting vertical movement thereof, means for moving said member upwardly with respect to said single longitudinal grid wall, the connections between said plurality of transversely extending grid walls and said member being such that said transversely extending grid walls are elevated along with said member by said second named-means upwardly of said single longitudinal' grid wall, and all of said transversely extending grid walls being interlocked with said longitudinal grid wall in such manner as to engage same during'elevation of said walls to also move said transversely extending walls in a direction longitudinally ofsaid longitudinal wall to break ice blocks therefrom and liberate the ice blocks from the compartments of said unitary grid structure.

12. A grid structure according to claim 11 wherein the movement of the transversely extending grid walls longitudinally of-said single longitudinal grid wall is progressive from one portion to another portion of said unitary grid.

13. A grid for disposition in an ice tray comprising, a single non-flexible longitudinal metal wall and a plurality of non-flexible metal walls disposed in spaced apart relation along the length of said longitudinal wall and extending transversely through the plane thereof to provide rows of ice block compartments, said transversely extending grid walls being normally inclined with respect to the bottom of said grid to provide said ice block compartments with a parallelogram form in one direction of cross section therethrough', said grid also including a member disposed above and extending lengthwise of said single longitudinal wall and arranged for movement upwardly relative thereto, said member, said single longitudinal wall and said transversely extending walls being connected together in movable relation to one another to form a unitary grid structure, means for moving said member upwardly with respect to said single longitudinal grid wall, the connections between said plurality of transversely extending grid walls and said member being such that said transversely extending grid walls are elevated along with said member by said means upwardly of said single longitudinal grid wall, and all of said transversely extending grid walls being interlocked with said longitudinal grid wall in such manner as to engage same during elevation of said walls by said means to also move said transversely extending walls out of their normal inclined position to enlarge said compartments and break ice blocks therefrom for liberating the ice blocks from said unitary grid structure.

14. A grid structure according to claim .1 wherein the movement of the transversely extending grid walls 'out of their normal inclined position is progressive from one portionto another portion of said unitary grid.

JAMES W. JACOBS. 

